Elimination Communication Tips From a Mama Who's Mastered It

By SiSi Toro

We first came across Sisi Toro’s Instagram and were immediately drawn in by her elimination communication tips. In today’s world, “big diaper” has helped push back the average age of potty training, making it common for children not to start until well into toddlerhood. The idea that parents could start tuning into their baby’s cues as early as birth felt both refreshing and intriguing.

At NOLEO, our approach is always to educate and empower parents with gentle, practical information so you can choose what works best for your family. We knew we had to pick Sisi’s brain and share her wisdom, alongside real-life experiences from parents who have tried EC, to help more families explore this natural option.

SiSi’s Elimination Communication Advice

When I first started elimination communication (EC) around 2 months postpartum, it wasn’t some big strategy. I wasn’t trying to potty-train my newborn. I was just tired of blowouts, curious about what my baby was trying to tell me, and open to a gentler approach.

Very quickly, I realized EC could be simple and intuitive. Not some rigid method, but a way to respond to my baby with more awareness and trust. No pressure to catch everything. No expectation to go full-time. Just an invitation to connect.

We kept it low-key. I set a little potty next to the changing pad and began offering it during natural times - after naps, after nursing, or when I noticed that telltale squirm or grunt. I’d hold her over the potty and use a soft “pssss” sound to cue. Sometimes we caught it, sometimes we didn’t. But either way, we were learning together.

And when we did catch — oh, we celebrated! Those early catches felt like a tiny window into what she’d been trying to say all along.

Elimination Communication Tips for Beginners

Here are a few things that helped us get into a groove:

• Work it into your rhythm. Try offering during times you already have a natural pause — waking, feeding, diaper changes.
  
• Keep a potty nearby. We had one next to the changing pad and one in the car for on-the-go.
  
• Use a cue. A soft sound or word (“psss” or “go potty”) helps build the connection.
  
• Don’t overthink it. Misses are part of the process. One catch a day is still a win.
  
• Celebrate the connection. It’s truly such an amazing way to respond to your baby.

EC Is All About Connection

One thing that really surprised me is how much my baby was already communicating — I just hadn’t known how to listen yet. Once I started tuning in, I saw so many cues I’d missed before. EC helped me meet her there, in a way that felt respectful, gentle, and surprisingly simple.

Learn more about EC in our complete guide, Elimination Communication Explained: Signals, Timing, & Tips for Parents.